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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Did you connect Mandriva, FC8,open SUSE,Ubuntu,Debian and Windows XP sucessfully?

I gave up FC8. Some people in Fedora forum in vain helped me.
They ran out of ideas and I gave up.

I have all but Mandriva succesfully running on this PC.

I have Windows on one HDD (although this is not necessary) and all other distros on another HDD. On the second HDD, I have a small partition sdb1 that has grub and basically nothing else. On each linux partition I put a local version of grub and then simple chainload to this from the "main" grub.

The advantage of this is that when I install new kernels, the installer will generally update its "own" grub (ie local menu.lst/grub.conf) but not the version installed by another distro.

Note that OpenSuSe will cause a few problems because by default, grub-install will write to the drive's MBR, not just install grub on the loca partition (even if you specify this for grub-install). From memory, a simple edit to OpenSuSe's grub-install script fixed the problem.

Fedora caused all sorts of issues, but only F9, not F8. It was all to do with anaconda trying to make the Fedora partition bootable. Managed to get it working in the end.

So when your computer starts you could freely choice Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora 9, FreeBSD7 or XP.

Yes, correct. You just need to be careful when an installer reaches the stage where it suggests installing GRUB. By default, it will install it to the MBR but that option can be overridden. Unfortunately, some distros have a tendency to hide this away from the user so you may need to look a bit closer. Here is part of my Ubuntu menu.lst (Ubuntu has its GRUB on the MBR) to show what it looks like:

Gins I have 10 now going for 11 soon as I can get it downloaded. I chainload mine also with grub. That is the easiest (chainloading) especially if you are going to be changing distros. The only one that gave me a little trouble was puppy but once I understood it was no problem.